USA-led group tries to save Olympic wrestling

USA Wrestling has formed a group led by former world champion Bill Scherr to fight the IOC's decision to eliminate wrestling from the 2020 Olympics.

USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender tells The Associated Press on Thursday that the group's aim will be to lead efforts to restore wrestling to the Olympic program. World and Olympic champions Bruce Baumgartner, John Smith, Rulon Gardner and Dan Gable and two-time Olympians Kerry McCoy and Clarissa Chun will also take part.

Bender says he intends to meet with wrestling leaders from Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Georgia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Belarus next week in Tehran, site of the upcoming World Cup tournament.

Bender says the Russian, Iranian and Japanese wrestling federations have also begun plans to fight the IOC's decision.